Please be safe out there. For those where they are lifting stay at home orders, please, please wear masks and keep the physical distance between each other.
I may post more as we get closer to the denouement, so watch for it. :)
Annie watched as the others left, heading home.
Celia played with her empty drink cup, mind lost in thoughts.
Annie would have to do her duty now.
She pulled up her bag, took out the manilla envelope, slid it over to Celia.
"Hmm?" Celia inquired.
"It's from Martha."
Celia's demeanor changed.
Annie feared her rejection of this last message from their mutual friend and leader, "She said to get it to you, even if I had to wait vorns to do so."
Celia pulled off her gloves, then open the envelope. The thick stack of papers slid out.
A picture exactly like the one in Annie's envelope. Most likely Martha's masterpiece. A femme like Optimus Prime in Transformers: Prime stood in the center, flanked by a femme Transformers: Prime Soundwave with a feline like Celia's kitten Ravage, and a femme like Blaster done in the Transformers:Prime style with a hound at her side. Just like a puppy Annie wanted in her youth, but hadn't had time to take care of, then nor now.
Their Cybertronian selves, as drawn by Martha.
Celia covered her masked mouth, as if to stop a sob.
"She said in the letter to me, you'd need us, in time. To keep this meeting going until we could be side by side again," Annie swallowed, blinking back tears, "Kept sending you the notifications, even when I didn't see any read receipts on them, hoping you knew at least I was here, waiting."
"Martha was my Megatron," Celia whispered, "Early days Megatron, at least."
"She was my Optimus Prime, back in his early days," Annie snorted, "Yet here we are, the equivalents to Prowl and Jazz or Soundwave and Starscream left to our own devices and no enemy to unite against. Well, maybe those fanboys."
The snort made Annie feel like Celia wasn't going to linger in grief.
Celia carefully set the picture aside, pulled the next paper closer.
"A foundation?" Celia lifted the paper closer to her visor.
Annie forgot Celia's eyes were prone to excessive dryness and itchiness the later in the day it was.
"To help fan girls find others," Celia's tone warmed, "Of course she would set something like that up."
Annie smiled, "She had some ladies out east run it since…she knew we both couldn't handle running it after her death."
"BigRig's Bash. She loved her alliteration," Celia moved to the next sheet, "I have more changes to make to my finances now."
"I did too, when I got it. It's up to a ten thousand members now, and supports more than transformer fans," she inhale then exhaled trying to be brave to broach the subject, "You need to get away from Tyler."
Celia looked up, "I'm cutting ties with him."
"I mean, leave that house, immediately. Just grab Ravage, your critical possessions and come over to my place. Like today."
"Did I look that bad?"
Annie closed her eyes, "You've lost a lot of weight since our last meeting, and your eyes when I saw you leaving the store were nearly dead. I don't know what all he's been doing to you, but he's killing you. It's not just Martha, it's him. He's a…sparkeater."
Celia gave a bitter laugh, "A spark eater is a quick killer. He's worse."
Annie rolled her eyes, "Okay, miss-know-everything-just-like-Prowl. You get my point. Come to my place. I got all the current series."
Celia gently put the papers back into the envelope, "I have some things I have to do."
She collected her things, standing as Celia did, "I know you are really loyal, Celia. But if you are loyal to disloyalty, it only hurts you. Please, just come home with me."
Celia lifted her visor, surprising Annie with the clearness in her sight, though the redness looked worse than normal for her.
"I gave my word to take care of my brother. I…I never said how long," Celia's eyes smiled, "Besides, he is no longer my brother. I have my sisters to attend to."
Annie's heart skipped a beat, "Really?"
"You told me once that sometimes our blood and flesh families are ill suited to us, but our found families are the strongest," Celia bowed her head, "I've found my family. I just need to deal with my last duties to those old bonds so I am free."
"You call me and I'll be there, even if I have to lift the entire foundation of your house and shake it to get you out," Annie stated seriously.
"I would suggest, assuming one or two of the others could be impressed to help, you may avoid straining your shoulder with such a feat," she slid her visor back down.
Annie burst into laughter, "Dry humor. That is a good sign."
They exited to a light rain.
Celia tucked the file under her chest piece, protecting the precious papers.
Annie felt compelled to say one more thing, "If he hits you, you call. I got my chains still."
"He doesn't know of your prior affiliations, so it would be amusing to see you revive them. But that would hurt you."
"I know, but you are worth it, Celia. You are my sister. Until all are one."
"Until all are one," Celia placed her hand over her chest, her voice soft.
It was a strange softness, as if she was speaking about something else entirely.
"I'll see you later, okay, Wavey?" Annie asked worriedly.
Celia waved, walking away.
A terrible feeling washed over Annie, like she was watching a dead woman walking.
She murmured, "Better call me, sister."
Then she turned to her own vehicle.